Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1887-09-14
THE DEVILS BITE.
The Fleck o. Gold and It's Curious
Mountain Home.


The Fleck o. Gold and Its Curious
Mountain Home.
One of the most prominent objects
in this region Of mighty landmarks is
the DEVILS Bite, says Wyoming cor
respondent of the New York Mail and
Express. This is huge chasm which
cleaves In twain the great Wind
Mountain Range at it's highest point.
The chasm itself is in plain view from
the streets of Lander, but IN the
clearest weather the keenest eye can
not penetrate it's dark and yawning
depths. Aside from its commanding
position as q landmark, the DEVILS
Bite is famous on two accounts. One
is that it gives birth to mighty noun
tain waters, and the other that with.
In it's recesses tradition has located
the richest gold deposits OF the region.
The waters sent forth by the DEVILS
Bite are those of the Papoagie and
the Big Sandy, the first one of the
strongest afluents of the noble Wind
River, and the second principal
tributary of the Sweetwater, q
mighty arm of the great Platte. The
chasm of the DEVILS Bite is several
miles in length, and within it's recesses
are piled large masses of perennial
snow and ice. Lower down are
other snow and ice deposits, renewed
every season, and from these springs
the sources of the Papoagie and the
Big Sandy.
The chasm is dotted with the yawn.
ing shafts of long disused mines.
These mines were worked at 8 period
- %~1
has no information as to the
time or the workers. The DEVILS
Bite and vicinity is one huge iron
outcrop. With the exception of no.
table discovery lately made at Min
ers' Delight, the great gold bearing
iron belt from which so many of the
richest mines of Arizona, New Mexico
and Colorado are carved, has never
shown up in this region. Therefore
the deduction is drawn that in the
chasm of the DEVILS Bite, this great
and rich gold-bearing iron belt has
risen to the surface and that there
will be found the most extensive and
valuable mines of the Northwest.
There is found in the chasm of the
DEVILS Bite. and there alone, curl
Gus little animal which is generally
known as the feck o. gold, though it
also reioices in the equally glittering
name of the golden guide and the golden
gopher. The little fellow undoubted-
~ belongs to the gopher tribe. The
feck o. gold is of a general golden hue.
This hue represents the various
shades of gold from the duller colors
of the precious metal in its native
state to the brilliance given by the
stamp of the mint. The duller hues
are blended on the body, while the
brighter one spreads itself along the
tail. This tail is the glory of the
heck O. gold, and the wonder of the
beholder. Fifteen inches in length, or
more than three times as long as the
little animal of which it is such q
dazzling continuation, this tail is as q
glance of gold. 1t is instinct with &C
ton, an action which has no appar
emit purpose but that of display, and
Jerks and writhes, curls and twists
with the swittness and light of sun
ray. The feck is vainglorious con-
corning this tail, and when, for his |
own edifcation he folds it many |
times around his body, Transforming
himself into ball of FURNISHED bull
ion, the brilliant exhibition pleads
hard in extenuation of the little fell
lows vanity.
The fieck O. gold digs deep, and his
burrow is regarded as an unfailing in
dication of the presence of gold. AS a
matter of course, many and diverse
speculations are extant in regard to
the origin OF this singular and bril-
liant little animal. The theory most
advanced and believed in is that the
feck o. gold was at first only a COM
mon gopher, but that the constant
contact with the gold soil in which he
burrowed so fecked his coat with the
precious yellow particles that nature
herself at last took cognizance Of the
matter and the golden coat was made
hereditary. The extraordinary
length of the tail is accounted for by
the supposition that it is q sympa-
thetic growth. designed especially by
nature as brilliant advertising vehi-
Gle of the hidden riches of DEVILS
Bite.